Panel for prefabricated houses



June 23, 1953 A. D. ROUSH ET AL 2,642,968

' PANEL FOR PREFABRICATED HOUSES I Filed May 6, 1947 J INVENEIQJS JIE. 5

Their ATTORNEYS I Patented June 23, 1953 PANEL FOR PREFABRICATED HOUSES Alan D. Roush, Dayton,

Dayton, and John D. Y signors to General Bu ton, Ohio, a corporati Owen M. Stolz, near eck, Dayton, Ohio, asilding Units, Inc., Dayon of Ohio Application May 6, 1947, Serial No. 746,342

3 Claims.

This invention relates to building construction and more particularly to panel members and the supporting structure therefor.

An object of this invention is to provide panel members for building units, such that the panel members may be used to simulate the appearance of lap siding or they may be used to simulate sheeting or other wall structure wherein the panels have the appearance of uniform thickness throughout.

Another object of this invention is to provide panel members having joints so arranged as to deter the ill effects of capillary attraction.

Another object of this invention is to provide a structure such that the panels may be snapped into permanent position on suitable retainers forming a part of the supporting structure in such a manner that after the panels have been snapped into position, they are locked in position to prevent removal thereof without mutilation of one or more of the parts associated therewith.

Other objects and advantages reside in the construction of parts, the combination thereof and the mode of operation, as will become more apparent from the following description.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a fragmentary, perspective view of the panels and a supporting studding.

Figure 2 is another fragmentary, perspective view similar to Figure 1, wherein the panels have been mounted to simulate lap siding.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of interlocking panels adapted to deter capillary attraction, showing parts in section.

Figure 4 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 3, having the panels mounted in offset relation so as to simulate lap siding.

Figure 5 is another modification showing panels simulating lap siding arranged to deter capillary attraction.

In the drawings, the reference character I0 is used to indicate a channel-shaped studding having the side i2 forming the bottom or the chan-= nel, the side walls it and it and the reentrant flanges I8, leaving a longitudinal slot Eli. The side I 2 of the studding H3 has struck'out therefrom panel-supporting hooks 22, the main bodies of which are substantially triangular shaped, joined at the bottom to the studding by a leg portion 2 3. An opening 26 is formed in the side It when the supporting hook 22 has been projected outwardly. The panel-supporting hooks 22 extend outwardly in a direction normal to the side i2, so as to provide rigid supports for the panels. Retaining members or tongues 30 are also struck out from the side of the studding IE; but instead of being directed outwardly in a-di- 'rection normal to the side l2, the tongues 39' are angularly disposed, so as to yield in response to a pressure directed normal to the side 12.

Panel members 56, as shown in Figure 1 and 2, have been provided with saw tooth-like flange portions 62 extending along the bottom thereof and saw tooth-like flange portions M extending along the top of each panel. The saw tooth-like flange portions 42 may consist of two or more upwardly directed ribs 46, leaving a pair of grooves 48 on the underside.

As may best be seen in Figure 1, the panels have been positioned so as to present a substantially flush surface forming a wall. This has been accomplished by nestling the ribs 46 of the upper flange 44 of the lower panel into the grooves 48 of the inwardly directed flange Q2 along the bottom of the upper panel. By this arrangement, the hook 22 underlies one of the grooves 5-8 of the upper and lower flanges. After the panels have been mounted in position, the tongues 3E! spring over the innermost ribs 46, so as to lock the panels in position.

As may be best seen by referring to Figure 2, the panels may be mounted so as to simulate lap siding by utilizing only one groove of the lower flange of an upper panel. By this arrangement, the tongues 30 look only the upper flange of each panel on its hook.

This arrangement permits the use of identical flanges for both the exterior and the interior of a building. By arranging the panels as disclosed in Figure 1, these panels may be used either on the exterior or the interior. By arranging the panels as shown in Figure 2, the panels may then be used on the exterior to simulate lap siding.

In the modification disclosed in Figures 3 and 4, the panel member has been provided with a corrugated, flange-like portion 62 extending along the bottom. The corrugation forms an inverted Valley-like portion extending along the bottom of the panel. The upper portion of each panel is provided with an inwardly directed flange portion 64 joined to an inverted channel portion 66, terminating in an L-shaped portion 68. The studding is provided with a tongue-like portion it provided with a tooth 12 projecting into the inverted channel portion 66. By this arrangement, line contacts are made along the lines 80, B2 and 84, as best seen in Figure 3, between the upper portion of one panel and the lower portion of the panel directly above. This line contact practical- 1y eliminates capillary attraction, thereby preventing moisture from being drawn between contacting portions of adjoining panels. By positioning the panels as shown in Figure 3, the panels may be made to simulate boards. By positioning the panels as shown in Figure 4, the panels simulate lap siding.

In Figure 5 another modification has been shown. This modification may be used with studdings Ill, substantially identical to those disclosed in the preferred embodiment. The upper margin of the panel 90 is provided with an inwardly directed flange portion 92 and a'reentrant flange portion 94 hooked upon the tongue 96. In order to obtain a line contact and at the same time have the panels 90 simulate lap siding, the lower margin of the panel flange 98 simulating an tion, making line contacts [02 of the adjacent panels. that by utilizing a marginal flange consisting of several portions forming sharp corners and a second marginal flange where the portions are curved, a line to line contact may be made between the adjacent panels, thereby eliminating inverted valley-like poralongthe' lines I00 and the deleterious effects caused by capillary attraction. r

Although the preferred embodiment of the device has been described, it will be understood that within the purview of this invention various changes may be made in the form, details, proportion and arrangement of parts, the combination thereof and mode of operation, which generally stated consist in a device capable of carrying out the objects set forth, as disclosed and defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. Ina wall structure, the combination including vertically disposed supports, a plurality of panel members simulating the appearance of lap siding, each of said panel members including inwardly directed portions on two opposite sides thereof, one of said portions being undulated so as to be nested with an inwardly directed portion of. an adjacent panel member, the other of said portions forming substantially right angle corners, the distance between corners being less than twice the radius of curvature of the undulating portions, the panel members being horizontally disposed one above the other with the undulating portion extending along the lower edge of the panel members, the corners being located along the top of each panel member, the corners of each succeeding lower panel member being seated in a concave portion of one of the undulations of the panel member immediately above so that the panel members simulate the appearance of lap siding, and means for fixedly securing the panel members to the vertically disposed supports.

2. In a wall structure, the combination including a plurality of panel members simulating the appearance of lap siding, each of said panel members including inwardly directed portions along the top and the bottom thereof, the portion along 90 is provided with a curved Thus, it can be seen th bottom forming a concave inverted valleylike portion extending along the bottom of the panel member, the upper portion bein angularly disposed forming a channel portion provided with corners, the corners of each of the underlying panel members projecting into the inverted valleylike portion of the panel member directly above, the corners of the inverted valley-like curved portion forming two line contacts.

3. A wall assembly including a studding of sheet metal having outwardly directed supporting hooks struck out .of the wall of the studding, a l ty of horizontally disposed panel members simulating lap siding, each of said panel members including an inwardly directed portion along the bottom thereof, which inwardly directed por tion forms a concave curv resulting in an inverted valley-like portion, the upper portion of each panel member being angularly disposed forming a channel portion provided with corners, the corners of each of the lower panel members projecting into the inverted vall y-l po of the panel member directly above, the channel portion resting upon the Supporting hooks proiecting pwardly from the wall .for supporting the panel members upon he studding.

ALAN D. ROUSH.

OWEN M. STOLZ.

JOHN D. YECK.

References Gited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 524,932 Caldwell Aug. 21, 1894 115,156 Satterfield Dec. 2, 1902 1,251,310 Welch 1---- Dec. 25, 1,917 2,059,664 Tashjian r- 1 Nov. 3, 1936 2,074,000 Streich Mar. 16, 1937 

